Shoes and method of making the same



Oct. 6, 1959 Filed Dec. 21, 1956 D. E. EVINS SHOES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

David Ell/177.5

BY 8% M -ATTORNEY5 2 Sheet S-Sheet 2 Oct. 6, 1959 D. E. EVINS I SHOES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Dec. 21, 1956 United States Patent SHOES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME David E. Evins, New York, N.Y., assignor to Dejo, Inc.,

New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application December 21, 1956, Serial No. 629,806

2 Claims. (Cl. 12-142) The present invention relates to shoes and to a method of making the same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for making a shoe wherein an outsole is molded to a lasted upper and secured thereto without the necessity of any sewing or stitching operation.

Pursuant to the foregoing object, it is another object of the present invention to provide a method wherein the molding of the outsole automatically provides a guide indicia on the lasted upper for applying adhesive thereto.

Another object is to provide a molded outsole having means to facilitate the conformation thereof to the shape of the upper.

Another object is the provision of a molding apparatus wherein means are provided to facilitate the conformation of the outsole to the curvatures of the adjacent portions of a lasted upper during the molding operation.

Another object is the provision of a shoe having a lasted upper and an outsole which is molded thereto and adhesively secured thereto.

A further object is the provision of a shoe which is relatively simple to manufacture and which can be produced on a mass production basis and yet be highly attractive in appearance and design.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe pursuant to the present invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates a blank from which the outsole for the shoe is formed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a molded outsole pursuant to the invention;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a shoe upper fashioned on a suitable last, and illustrates an intermediate step in the production of a shoe according to the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 and illustrates another step in the manufacture of the shoe;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a molding apparatus, pursuant to the present invention, the mold being illustrated in its open or inoperative condition;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through the closed mold and illustrates an outsole blank positioned in the mold for the formation of the outsole;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken through the closed mold, the diaphragm of the mold being shown in its relaxed or unstretched condition and the outsole being shown molded about the lasted pp Fig. 9 is a sectional view, taken on the line 99 of Pi 8;

lig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 and illustrates the mold diaphragm stretched by the application of compressedair; and V lee Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional'view taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 8, the diaphragm being illustrated in the stretched condition thereof.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, Fig. 1 illustrates a shoe 10 manufactured pursuant to the present invention. As here shown, the shoe 10 comprises a lasted upper 12, a molded outsole 14 having a peripherally upwardly extending wall or lap 16, which overlaps the lower edge of the upper, and which is adhesively secured thereto so as to eliminate the necessity of stitching the outsole to the upper. A heel 18 is secured in conventional manner to the outsole.

Fig. 2 illustrates a blank 20 from which the outsole 14 is formed and, as here shown, the blank 20 is pinked throughout the extent of the peripheral edge thereof, as indicated at 22. It will be understood that the pinking 22 is preferred where the blank 20 is formed of a suitable plastic sheet material, preferably a thermoplastic, and that where the blank 20 is formed of sole leather, the pinking 22 may be omitted, if desired. The pinking, in the case of an outsole blank formed of plastic sheet material, serves to facilitate and to expedite the conformation of the blank 20 to the upper, when molded thereto, as hereinafter described. Fig. 3 illustrates an outsole 14 molded from the blank 20, said outsole having a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the bottom 24.

In forming the shoe It), the upper 12 is fashioned in conventional manner on a suitable last 26, as best illustrated in Fig. 4. As here shown, the upper 12 is provided with the conventional lasting allowance 28 which is suitably secured in conventional manner to the insole 30. If desired, the lasting allowance 28 may be skived, or a suitable filler material (not illustrated) may be provided on the insole within the peripheral edge 32 of the lasting allowance 2%, as is well understood by those skilled in the art.

In order both to mold the outsole blank 20 and to secure the molded outsole 14 to the lasted upper 12, provision is made for the molding apparatus 34, illustrated in Figs. 7 through 10. As here shown, the mold 34 comprises a mold housing 36 and a cover 38 which is hinged to the housing, as at at The cover 38 is a recessed or generally dished metallic member which is reinforced along its outer surface, as by ribs 42, and which is provided with a peripheral flange 44 to which there is secured, at the inner surface of the cover, a stretchable diaphragm 46. The diaphragm 46 is preferably for-med of stretchable rubber and is secured to the flange 44 by means of a retainer frame 48 and the securing elements 51 it being noted that the diaphragm 46 is substantially coextensive with the cover 38 and defines therewith a pressure chamber 52 which is formed therebetween. Compressed air may be introduced into the chamber 52 by means of a conduit 54 which extends from a conventional three-way valve (not illustrated) to a suitable fitting 56 provided in the cover 38 to provide for fluid flow communication between the conduit 54 and the chamber 52. It will be understood that the three-way valve is adapted to alternatively connect the conduit to-a suitable source of compressed air (not illustrated) or to the atmosphere, so as to provide both for the introduction of the compressed air into the chamber 52, or alternatively, for exhausting the compressed air from the chamber 52, depending upon the setting of the three-way valve, asis well known to those skilled in the art.

The mold housing 36 is of hollow or generally dished conformation and, pursuant to an important aspect of the present invention, and as best shown in Figs.,8, 9 and 10, the opposing end walls 58 and 6 .aHdI QPPQ lg. Sid

Patented Oct. 6, 1959 walls 62 and 64 of the mold housing 36, all flare or are tapered outwardly from the bottom wall 65 thereof, for

a purpose hereinafter described in detail.

. In order-to mount the last 26 therein, provision-is made inthe mold casing 36 for a jack '66 and a toe rest '68, both provided on a'plate 70 siutably secured on the inner surface of the bottom wall 65. The jack 66 is constituted by abase element 72 which is fixedly secured on the plate 70 and provided with a threaded jack member 74. Jack member 74 is vertically adjustable in the base element 72 and is provided with a projecting pin 76 which is adapted to be received in a complementary opening 78 provided inth'e last 26. The toe rest 68 is constituted by a channer shaped base element 80 which straddles a guide member 82 fixedly secured to the plate 70, the base element 80 being movable longitudinally of the guide 82 toward and away from the jack 66. Provision is made for a set screw 84 for releasably securing the base element 80 in adjusted position on the guide member 82. The toe rest 68 is also vertically adjustable and, in this connection, provision is made for a threaded member 86 which isthre'adedly engaged in the base element 80, provision being made for a lock nut 88 to releasably secure the threaded element 86 in vertically adjusted disposition relative to the base element 80. The threaded element 86 is provided at the upper end thereof with a pad 90 on which the toe of the lasted upper is received, as best illustrated in Fig. 8. Consequently, it will be apparent that the lasted upper may be suitably mounted within the mold housing 36 by means of the jack 66 and the toe rest 68, each of which maybe adjusted, as described above, to accommodate lasts 26 of different sizes.

Provision is made for a toggle lock device 92 for the mold 34. As here shown, the toggle lock device comprises a bracket 94 which is mounted for pivotal movement on a pivot pin 96 extending between the spaced lugs 9898 provided on the mold housing 36. The bracket mounts a pivot pin 102 on which the latch 100 is mounted for pivotal movement. The latch 100 is adapted to be releasably engaged or hooked about a latch piece 103 integral with the cover flange 44. In order to operate the latch 100, provision is made for the lever 104 which extends from the bracket 94. The lever is movable from the retracted broken line unlocked position thereof illustrated in Fig. 8, to the full line position thereof, to effect the locking engagement of the latch the with the cooperating latch piece 103 through a toggle action. It will be noted that when the latch 100 is moved from the broken line position to the full line position illustrated in Fig. 8 the free end thereof engages the latch piece 103 and the pivot pin 102 is then overset relative to the pivot pin 96 to effect the locking of the mold 34. It will be understood that Said locking action need not effect an air tight seal for the mold housing 34 since the compressed air does not enter the mold housing 34, the compressed air being confined solely to the expandible chamber 52.

In manufacturing shoes pursuant to the present invention, the upper 12 is fashioned on a suitable last 26, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, to provide the lasting allowance 28 which is superimposed on the inner sole 30, as best illustrated in Fig. 4. The last 26 with the upper 12 molded thereto, is then mounted in the mold housing 36, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8, with the toe portion 104 of the upper resting on the pad 90 of the toe rest 68, and with the pin 76 of the jack 66 disposed Within the aperture 78 at the heel area 106 of the last 26.

Pursuant to an important aspect of the present invention, the blank 20 is coated along its pinked periphery 22 with chalk or other suitable mark transferring material, as indicated at 107 in Fig. 2. In the case of a blank 20 which is formed of thermoplastic material rather than of sole leather, the blank is first inserted in an oven and heated sufliciently to soften the blank to facilitate the molding thereof. The blank 20 is then superimposed on the lasted upper or best illustrated in Fig. '7, it being understood that the chalk marking 107 would confront the upper 12. The cover 38 is then closed and locked in position on the mold housing 36 and it will be noted that the flexible diaphragm 46 engages the blank 20. Compressed air is then introduced into the chamber 52 which now expands in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10. It will be noted that the diaphragm 46, when expanded or stretched by the compressed air in the pressure chamber 52, curls about the lasted upper 12. This causes the blank 20 to conform to the various curvatures of the lasted upper as it is forced into intimate engagement with the lasted upper to produce the molded outsole 14 having the bottom 24 which is complementary to the lasting allowance 28 and the area of the upper within said lasting allowance, and which bottom has the upstanding peripheral wall 16 which is molded against the side portions 109 of the lasted upper immediately above the lasting allowance 28. The intimate engagement of the wall 16 against said side portions 109 causes the chalk 107 to be transferred to the upper 12 to produce the guide mark= ing 198 thereon as best illustrated in Fig. 4. The foregoing molding of the blank 20 to the various curvatures of the lasted upper to produce the molded outsole 14 results from the action of the stretched diaphragm 46 in following the curvatures of the lasted upper and this action of the diaphragm is greatly facilitated and increased by the previously described flared or tapering end and side walls of the mold housing 36 which tend to force the stretched diaphragm 46 about the lasted upper to intimately engage the lasted upper and to follow the curvatures thereof, as best illustrated in Figs. 10 and ll. From Fig. 11, it will be noted that the diaphragm 46 in following the curvatures of the lasted upper 12 forces the blank 20 therea'gainst so as to mold the blank about the lasted upper, and especially against the lower side portions 10) thereof to form the wall 16 of the outsole 14 and to transfer the chalk 107 from the blank to the last upper, as indicated at 108 in Fig. 4.

The compressed air is then exhausted from the chamber 52. and the mold is opened, to remove the molded outsole 14 from the lasted upper. A suitable cement or adhesive is then applied completely throughout the inner surface of the molded outsole 14 along the bottom 24 and side wall 16 thereof as indicated by the stippled area in Fig. 3, and the cement or adhesive is also applied along the outer surface of the upper 12 to cover the lasting allowance 28 and the area bounded by the edge 32 thereof, as well as the lower side portions 109 of the upper, up to the guide indicia 108. The molded upper 14-, provided with the adhesive, is then repositioned on the lasted upper, as illustrated in Fig. 8. In the case of outsoles 14 which are formed of certain thermoplastic sheet materials, it may be necessary to reheat the molded outsole somewhat before it is returned to the lasted upper due to the tendency of some of such materials to return partially to the unmolded condition thereof. The mold 34 is again locked and compressed air is again applied into the pressure chamber 52 which expands, as previously described, the diaphragm again following the various curvatures of the upper and forcing the outsole '14 into intimate engagement with the lasted upper so as to adhesively secure the molded outsole 14 to the lasted upper. In this connection, it will be understood that the previously described pinked periphery 22 of the molded outsole 14 facilitates the conformation of the material of the outsole, especially in the case of the plastic sheet material, to the upper so as to provide an intimate bucklefree and smooth fit of the outsole on the upper. I

While in the process, as described above, the blank 20 is provided with the chalk marking 107 along its peripheral'edge, then molded to the lasted upper to transfer the chalk mark, the molded outsole 14 then being removed for the application of adhesive both to the outsole and the lasted upper prior to the return of the outsole 14 to the molding apparatus 34 to efiect the securement of the outsole to the upper 12, it is within the scope of the present invention to both mold and secure the outsole 14 to the upper 12 in one step. In this connection, it will be understood that the blank 20 would be provided with adhesive on one surface thereof, for example as indicated with reference to the molded outsole 14 in Fig. 3, and the blank 20 would then be superposed on the lasted upper, as indicated in Fig. 7, with the adhesive surface thereof confronting the upper. Thereafter, the compressed air would be applied to the chamber 52 for expanding the latter so as to both mold the blank 20 in the form of the outsole 14 and simultaneously adhesively secure the latter to the lasted upper.

While the shoe illustrated and described herein is a womans shoe, it will be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention to make shoes according to the present invention for men or children in addition to women, and that the upper 12 may be made of leather, canvas or any other suitable material and that the outsole 14 may be made of plastic sheet material, sole leather, or other suitable sheet material which can be molded in one piece.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of manufacturing a shoe, comprising providing a shoe upper mounted on and conformed to a last, providing an outsole blank having marginal portions, applying a transferable marking substance to said marginal portions of said outsole blank, molding said outsole blank to said shoe upper with said marginal edge portions overlapping the lower margins of said shoe upper to transfer at least some of said transferable marking substance to said lower margins to provide a guide indicia thereon and to conform said outsole blank to said shoe upper, removing said outsole blank from said shoe upper, applying adhesive to the bottom of said shoe upper and to said lower margins of said shoe upper within said guide indicia, repositioning said outsole blank on said shoe upper, and remolding said blank thereon to adhesively secure said blank to said shoe upper along the bottom and lower margins thereof.

2. The method of manufacturing a shoe, comprising providing a shoe upper mounted on and conformed to a last, providing a thermoplastic outsole blank having marginal portions with a pinked edge along the periphery thereof, applying a transferable marking substance along said pinked edge of said thermoplastic outsole blank, heating said thermoplastic outsole blank to render said blank more pliable for the subsequent molding thereof, placing said thermoplastic outsole blank between the bottom of said shoe upper and an elastic diaphragm with the surface thereof having said transferable marking substance on said pinked edge in confronting relation with the bottom of said shoe upper, applying fluid pressure to the surface of said elastic diaphragm which is remote from said outsole blank to mold said outsole blank to said shoe upper with said marginal portions overlapping the lower margins of said shoe upper to transfer at least some of said transferable marking substance to said lower margins to provide a guide indicia thereon and to conform said thermoplastic outsole blank to said shoe upper, removing said outsole blank from said shoe upper, applying adhesive to the bottom of said shoe upper and to said margins of said shoe upper below said guide indicia, repositioning said outsole blank on said shoe upper, and remolding said blank thereon to adhesively secure said blank to said shoe upper along the bottom and lower margins thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,331,220 Straus Feb. 17, 1920 1,388,120 Pope Aug. 16, 1921 1,622,860 Cutler Mar. 29, 1927 1,855,226 Estey Apr. 26, 1932 1,920,554 Grams Aug. 1, 1933 2,059,831 Willey Nov. 3, 1936 2,117,333 King May 17, 1938 2,200,068 Levin et al. May 7, 1940 2,201,996 Finn May 28, 1940 2,740,143 Frieri Apr. 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,821 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1890 314,997 Italy Feb. 12, 1934 346,771 Great Britain Apr. 7, 1931 609,584 Great Britain Oct. 4, 1948 1,068,531 France Feb. 3, 1954 

